A Letter to the Market Basket Protestors

By now, many of you have probably heard of the protests occurring at many of the Market Basket stores around Massachusetts and New Hampshire, as well as anywhere there is a Market Basket store. The protestors are picketing to bring back the former president, Artie T. DeMoulas, who, from what has been said was a stand-up president and an all-around great guy. (And yes, I know that's not the only reason. I know it stems far deeper into issues like fair-wages and equality too.) Artie T., you see, was ousted from his post as President and CEO by his Cousin Artie S. Say what? That’s right, his cousin — so much for family love.

The protests began while I was out of the country. When we returned to the states and heard what was happening — we shrugged it off. We don’t shop at Market Basket often. In fact, we prefer the quiet aisles of Shaws or Hannafords, and don’t mind paying a teeny bit more because of it. And quite honestly, we’ve never seen a huge cost difference in what we pay between Market Basket or the other stores. If there is a difference… it’s maybe $10, not much more. If we go to Market Basket, it’s purely out of convenience seeing how we live around the corner from one.

Once we were home, we noticed the slew of protestors gathering in front of the Market Basket across the street from our neighborhood. Holding signs up that ranged from ‘Don’t Support the Greed’, ‘ Bring back Artie. T’, ‘Thank you for not shopping here’, and ‘Honk for Artie’. As well as shouting into bullhorns, cheering and screaming.

It’s been about 2 weeks, maybe just over and I felt the need to write something about this. For the record, I am not passionate about what’s going on with Market Basket. I do support their efforts, but it’s not a front and center issue for me. I have more important things going on then protesting Market Basket. There are other grocery stores, and I’m totally fine supporting the others as I always have. Having said that, I fully support what they believe in and what is written below is not meant to bash their efforts.

First, let me start by saying, I support your cause 100%. In fact, it’s nice to see people protest because they love their former president that much. And it’s also nice to see people care so much about where they are employed. I am not writing this because I don’t support you. I believe in your cause. I believe in your fight.

I’m writing this because, quite honestly, the noise has got to stop. By all means, wave signs, yell at cars, protest — but the bullhorn and urging cars to honk for Artie T. does not help your cause and NEEDS to stop.

I do not have a problem with your passion; I have a problem for how you demonstrate your passion. Your protests are directly across the street from a neighborhood, that I (and several other families) call home. When I am home all I can hear, from my backyard, are cars laying on the horns and your voices through the bullhorn.

I don’t know what it’s like at other Market Basket’s in the area; I don’t know if the other neighborhoods are also dealing with the honking and the bull horns, but what I do know is that I have had enough.

Please end the noise. Stop the honking. Stop with the bullhorn.

But by all means, keep protesting. Keep raising your signs and cheering as cars go by. Keeping fighting for what you believe in.

But please, no more car horns and bull horns. You can protest without the noise. And people will still support your efforts just as much. I know I will.

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